One of the most common questions we are asked at our grooming shop is : How often does my dog need grooming? How often you have your dog groomed depends on several factors including; breed, type of hair, how long the hair is kept, how the dog behaves and how old the dog is.

For most longhaired, nonshedding breeds (i.e. poodles, schnauzers, shih tzus, lhasas, bichons, wheatons, etc.) we recommend grooming at 6-8 week intervals. This keeps the coat and skin in good condition. If your dog gets matted easy or you keep the hair longer it should be done more frequently. To keep the coat mat free the dog should be bathed and combed more often. If you keep the dog cut short it does not need grooming as often.

Dogs that shed (i.e. Pomeranians, shelties, collies,etc.) should be done at least four times a year to decrease the shedding. Again a dirty coat will not shed easily and your dog may end up with skin problems.

Shedding types of terriers like westies, Scotties, and cairns should be done every 6-8 weeks to keep their coat and skin in good condition.

Short haired dogs should be done at least 4 times a year and they can be done as often as once a month.

It is very important that dogs be groomed often enough for them to understand what is going on. Dogs that are seldom groomed often have anxiety problems because they don't really understand what the groomer is doing. A dog that only comes in every 6 months does not remember a thing about grooming, which makes it very hard on the groomer and the dog. This often results in higher grooming fees or not being able to complete the dog. This is not fair to the dog or the groomer. We get a lot of vet referrals for problem dogs. Many of the problem dogs are naughty because they are not groomed often enough and they don't understand what is going on. A dog that is groomed on a regular basis is a much happier dog.

Starting grooming on a puppy is very important. We usually suggest the first grooming happens between 12 and 16 weeks, even if it is for only a bath and toenails. The next grooming should occur within a month so the puppy remembers what is happening. The younger a dog is started makes it a lot less frightening for him, but grooming in a shop with other dogs should not start before the puppy has had two sets of puppy shots.

We hear often that a dog is afraid of being groomed, but if you follow these guidelines the fear will go away and you will have a happy dog and an even happier groomer. We love talking dogs and grooming. Feel free to call and ask us your grooming questions 402-333-8574